Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 July 1999
The PbO–Nb2O5 phase diagram has been investigated, using electron diffractionand high resolution electron microscopy (HREM), for [Pb]/[Nb] ratios between 1 and1.25. Apart from the basic pyrochlore structure, different long periodsuperstructures, forming a homologous series Pb2n+1Nb2n−1O7n−1 based onthe pyrochlore structure have been found. Members with n = 5, 7, 9, 11 have beenobserved and their structure determined based on electron diffraction and HREM. Imagesimulations allow studying the influence of cation and oxygen vacancies in the basicstructure. Ordering of oxygen vacancies could be detected while no cation vacanciesare observed. Deviations from the perfect structure and ordered stacking defects arediscussed.